Forbidden Life
by J.D. Cox
Summary: Michael Phantomhive, the son of Ciel Phantomhive, has lived in his room his whole life. Never allowed out, save for a few precious hours at night. Believed to be a ghost, he befriends a normal everyday girl, or so he thinks. Our OC's Michael/Talya
1. First Impressions

A young girl with brilliant red hair, dressed in a somewhat baggy, long-sleeved black sweater, the sleeves pulled slightly over her hands and jeans, walks through the gardens of the Phantomhive Estate. Her eyes took in her surroundings carefully; she turned her gaze to the mansion, her eyes passing over the windows quickly. Her eyes stop, resting on one window in particular. The second floor, middle window, a small balcony set in front of the floor-length window. The curtains on this particular window are pulled back and a boy of about eighteen is standing in the window, leaning against the wall. He is dressed in brown pants that are tucked carefully into calf-high, laced-up, black boots, with a white long-sleeved button-up shirt tucked into his pants, and under a form-fitting black vest. The top two buttons on the shirt are undone with a red tie tied loosely around his neck; black gloves covered his slender hands. His short, shaggy and messy brownish black hair barely covered his brown eyes as he looked out over the gardens. A lonely and sad look in his eyes; as if he felt her gaze the boy turned his head just enough to lock eyes with her.

As he locks eyes with her, she turns quickly, running out of the garden. _I shouldn't have been seen by him, I just know it. I just hope that he doesn't say anything about seeing me here, _she thought as she ran. _How could I let myself be so careless?_ As she reaches the estate's gates, she looks back one more time before exiting the grounds. As she looked back at the window, the boy was no longer there. She shakes her head lightly._ I was sure there was someone there. Did he go to tell someone about me?_ She turns running back to town, a mile down the mountain. She runs to her house, running past her parents, not stopping to answer their question, going straight to her room. As she sits quietly in her room, she wonders quietly about the look the boy seemed to have in his eyes._ Should I go back? _She shakes her head, her thoughts taking over._ I'll wait until night to fall before I go back. I don't want to get caught again. This way I can use the darkness to get away if I do get caught._

The boy pushes himself off of the wall he was leaning against and peeks his head around the corner of the wall, looking out the window to see if the girl was still there. Noticing that she was gone, he steps back into the window, leaning against the wall once more. He looks out at the gardens, a hand pressed gently against the window, seeming as though he wished to leave the room, to be part of something else. As night falls the boy, pushes open the window and steps onto the balcony quietly. He looks around for a second, before jumping off and landing on the ground, his steps making a soft clack as he lands. He wanders the gardens quietly, looking at the flowers, he stops in front of a wilting rose and cups a hand around it. His eyes turned a faint blood-red as the flower bloomed back to a lovely, blood-red color.

The boy straightens and walks over to a fountain of an angel and a demon, his hands in his pockets, smirking slightly, closing his eyes, taking in the fresh, clean, night air. The girl walks into the garden again, looking around at the plants and ornaments scattered throughout the garden. She walks up to the fountain, not paying quite enough attention to notice that the boy is standing there, still as a statue, eyes closed. As he feels a new presence nearby, he opens his eyes slowly, looking towards the presence. He watches the girl as she sits down on a stone bench near the fountain, just looking at it.

The boy moves his head towards her, not saying a word. The girl notices the movement and stands up quickly, eyes widening as she steps away, scared. The boy turns around quietly, walking away, each step clacking against the stone path of the garden. The girl watches for a second too scared to speak. "Wh-who are you?" her voice was shaky and weak.

The boy stopped and turned his upper body towards her slightly, his head turned completely so that he could see her. He inclined his head slightly in a sort of bow. "Michael," his voice was soft and gentle.

The girl recovered herself slightly. "Why is that no one who lives here leaves the grounds?"

"They do, I don't however," Michael said, a faraway look passing over his eyes.

The girl looks at his eyes, "Your eyes seem so sad." She blushes slightly as she looks away. "S-sorry."

Michael smiled slightly, "It's alright. It isn't your fault." He pauses slightly before continuing, "Did you know that this estate is haunted?"

"I've heard the stories. The son of the owner died as a young adult. He was murdered, and his spirit never left the grounds," the girl said as though she didn't believe what she said.

"It's true. At least, it is in a way," a knowing glint in his eyes as he smiled.

The girl blinks as a door to the mansion opens, letting light flow out. "I should go."

"You can stay if you want. They're just going to come look for me," turn back around, walking towards the mansion.

"Why would they be looking for you," she says confused.

Michael stops, and turns around again, smiling, "Because they don't like their ghost to be sighted."

The girl steps back a few steps, her eyes widening. "You're the…..son?" She stifles a scream as she turns and runs out of the garden. Michael looks down, and turns around quietly, walking back to the mansion, walking through the door, the door shutting behind him. The girl stops at the edge of the garden, and looks back just in time to see the door shut behind him. She turns to leave, and hesitates before running back to the fountain.

The light turns on in Michael's room, and he appears at the window, stepping out onto the balcony once again. He notices the girl standing at the fountain, looking at it, her bangs covering her eyes. She sits down on the rim of the fountain and looks up at the house, towards the lit window. Michael smiles down at her slightly, as she looks away from the window. "Of course, now she's scared," he mumbles to himself, his smile fading.

The girl looked down sadly._ Who could ever be friends with a ghost? I'm so stupid, I should've just left._ Michael watched her a few seconds more before he looked over his shoulder briefly, and jumped off of the balcony. As he landed on the stone path, his feet made a soft clack. The girl looked up at the sound._ What was that?_ She thought to herself and began to walk towards the sound.

Michael quickly looked up at the house, making sure no one was awake, or saw him jump. The girl stopped a few feet away from Michael. "If you're a ghost, then how can you make noise when your feet hit the ground?"

Michael looked over at the voice, a faint smile surfacing. "You've heard of ghosts picking up objects and throwing them, correct? Well, it is something along those lines."_ Or because I'm alive._

The girl's eyes glow softly, and ever-so-faintly. "You don't seem dead to me," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "I don't believe you."

Michael started to walk down the path, hands in his pockets, "Is that so?"

The girl walked next to him, "Yes, that is so."

"What do I seem to you?"

She looked at him, carefully taking him in. "You seem lost and alone; but not dead."

Michael walks quietly, for a while, stopping to look at the roses. "Well, I'll let you in on a little known fact. I'm alive."

The girl nodded, a satisfied look placed on her face. "I knew it. You had me at first, but it's all in the eyes."

"I'm not often allowed out of my room, or allowed to be seen by many people for that matter; creating the illusion of the estate being haunted."

"Why do they want that?" she asked, laughing slightly.

Michael looks her directly in the eyes and bluntly says, "My father hates me."

She blinks quietly, pausing. "So why don't you leave?"

Michael begins to walk once more, " I can't. I mean I've tried but I've never gotten very far."

"Then try tonight."

He smiles slightly, "I would but I'm not in the mood to get hit again, at the moment."

"Come on, what is there to lose if you are a captive as you say?" Michael looks at her quietly, and then back at the mansion. "I've been in and out of here millions of times. I can get you out."

"They don't watch every move you make."

"If you are that scared then you should go back to your room."

Michael looks at her indignantly, "Who said I was scared. I just don't want to get hit." He looks back at the mansion. "You can get me out?"

She smiles victoriously, "Yeah, I know all the side exits; even some that shouldn't be there."

Michael smirked softly, "Then would you mind helping me escape from my personal prison of sorts?"

"I would love to help you escape."

"Thank you, by the way, may I ask your name?"

"It's Talya."

Michael smiled gently, "It is a pleasure to meet you Talya." He bowed slightly, "I am Michael Phantomhive, the mysterious and infamous ghost of the Phantomhive Estate."

"Nice to meet you, this way," she grabbed his hand and pulling him down the pathway.

Michael followed her lead calmly, steal a glance or two back at the mansion. "May I ask how long you've been sneaking in and out of here?"

"Since I was eight, why?" she reached a break in the side fence. Placing her hand on her hips, "See?"

"Just wondering, I've never seen you before."

"Just means that I'm that good," she said smiling as she went through the break.

"It does," he says slipping through the break after her.

Talya turned around to face Michael, looking over his shoulder, "The lights are on, we should run for it."

Michael turned around slightly, "Seems as though they've found out I'm not in my room."

"I can get you to the ferry boats."

"Ferry boats?"

"They can take you anywhere on the river."

"Sounds fun."

"It is," she says smiling as she walks down the mountain to town. Michael smiles gently, and follows her quietly.


	2. Revalations

"Well, here we are," Talya said, gesturing to the town. Michael looks around at the bustle and hustle the residents were making as they went about their business and smiled gently. Talya stopped walking suddenly. "Dang, we can't go back there uhm, hmmm." She walks to the dock, Michael following, head tilted to the side slightly, confused. Talya looks at him, "Wait for me here ok? I'll be right back, I promise." She turns and runs away, towards her house.

Michael looks around the docks, staying where he was told, watching people buy and sell various items. Talya walks back to Michael and smiles, "Ready for a boat ride?"

"Ready."

Talya walks towards the docks quietly. Michael follows her, his eyes turning a light, faint blood-red. He looks over his shoulder quietly, and notices a man with white hair, dressed in a simple black butler's outfit, around the age of 20, walking towards us. He looks forward quickly, muttering to himself, "Shit."

Talya looks back at Michael, "What is it?" She looked over Michael at the crowds of people, seeing the man. The man was focused on Michael, walking towards them silently. Talya's eyes narrowed slightly, "Michael, get on the boat now."

"What about you?"

"I'll get on after you."

"Alright, I suggest you be careful though," he said as he walked towards the boat. Talya followed close behind him, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds. The man followed them quietly, slipping through the crowds of people easily. As Michael and Talya stepped onto the boat, the ramp pulled in behind them, not letting the man on. The man stood on the docks, glaring at Michael.

Talya turned to face Michael, hands on her hips and a look that said she wanted information. "Who is he Michael?"

Michael sighed slightly, placing his hands in his pockets, "Andrew Michaelis."

"Family?"

"My butler; he's always sent after me if I try to leave. I was actually expecting him earlier."

"He doesn't look like a butler to me, more like an assassin."

"He has been used as an assassin before."

The man pulls out a small metal looking object. Talya points towards it, "What's that?"

Michael looks back and studies the object, a look of confusion on his face, "I don't know." The man throws the object towards them. Talya's eyes widen slightly as she grabs Michael's arm, pulling him to the side as a throwing knife goes through the space of air that his head was just in. Michael straightens up, smoothing out his clothes, "Well now we know what it was."

"He just tried to kill you!"

"That won't kill me."

"He just tried!"

"Andrew knows that that wouldn't kill me."

"But it would kill me."

"Right, forgot about that detail."

Talya looks back at Andrew and then turns around and sits against the back wall, relaxing. _I just ran away from home with a guy I've never met before today, _she thought to herself, laughing quietly. She looked up at Michael, who was leaning against the railing, looking out at the cityscape. "So why does your dad not like you?"

"I remind him too much of my mother."

"Why would that bug him?"

"He blames himself for her death."

"How did she die? If you don't mind me asking?"

"An illness, but he blames himself for not catching it earlier and taking care of her better."

"Oh, there was nothing he could have done really."

"He just doesn't get that," Michael said nodding.

Talya sighed. "Maybe one day he will. Who knows, you might go back one day."

"I'll probably be back in a few hours."

"A few hours, really? Why so soon?"

"They'll get me in about that amount of time and drag me back."

"I won't let them, besides they don't know where we're going, so they can't get us."

"Doesn't matter, they can find me no matter what."

"Tracking device?"

"Of a sort."

"What does that mean?"

"Don't freak out on me when I tell you?" Michael said, his eyes full of trust and hope.

"I won't, I promise."

"I'm a half-demon and I'm contracted to Andrew, my butler, who happens to be a full demon, giving him the ability to find me wherever I may be.

"D-Demons!" Michael nods and looks away. "How is that possible?"

"My father is a demon, and is contracted to his butler, Sebastion, another demon and Andrew's brother. My father married my mother and had me creating a half-demon."

"Oh, but still demons….real."

"Yes, they're real, don't worry we won't hurt you though."

"Uhm, in case you forgot one already tried."

"Andrew wasn't aiming for you." He looks off towards the cityscape. "Sorry that you have to deal with this."

"I offered to help you; you didn't drag me into this. I got myself in it."

"I should've stayed; but I'm glad I didn't."

"Are you bipolar or something?"

Michael laughs and shakes his head, "No, just very well trained."

"Ever tried just not being well trained? It can be fun."

"I've tried, and each time I do, my father hurts me. Reminding me not to go against him."

"Have you ever fought back or stood up for yourself?"

"Against three demons?...I have though, I'm just not strong enough to win."

"Oh." She looks back at the bank and sees the guy from earlier. _I can't tell him what I am._ She closed her eyes. "So where do you want to go?"

"I'm not sure where there is to go, I've never been out of the estate long enough to find out. So anywhere I guess."

Talya nods, thinking. She stands up and walks over to the captain, talking with him for a few minutes. When she finished she walked back over to Michael. "So where are we going?"

"South away from the mountains. I'm taking you to see a tropical coast line if we can get that far south; somewhere not so dark."

"Oh? It sounds nice," Michael said, smiling. Talya smiles, laughing slightly as her eyes turned a faint orange for a second. Michael noticed, looking off at the cityscape, "It seems as though you are hiding something."

"I'm not sure what you mean," she said looking away.

"Mmhmm, you're eyes just changed to a slight orange. If you don't want to tell me, I won't force you."

"Well yes they did turn orange."

"I saw that, is there a reason why?"

"Well that would probably because of my birth parents. My birth mother was a demon and my birth father was a half demon."

"Weird, the demons in my family eyes turn red."

"It has to do with what clan you are a part of. Out of curiousity, what is your clan's name?"

"I'm not particularly sure. It might be Michaelis."

"I hope I never run into your father."

Michael looked over at her, raising an eyebrow, "Why is that? Although I don't blame you."

"Have you ever heard your father talking about the Shido clan?"

"My father doesn't talk to me very often and if he does, he's yelling at me."

"That sucks, my parents just ditched me on the side of the river."

"I'm sorry."

"It was probably for the best I guess," she said shrugging.

"So why would you not like to run into my father?"

"Even though I was abandoned, I'm still a Shido and your father's clan has always been at war with mine."

"Oh, that isn't good."

"Yeah," Talya says as she sees a shadowy figure on the dark corner by where the captain was. Michael looks over and glares, Talya stepping away as Andrew appears. Talya looks Andrew in the eyes, "You were not invited on this trip."

Andrew walked closer, "I was sent to bring Michael home. His father is rather worried about him."

Talya stepped in between the two, "He is fine, see he is still alive. He's better off away from the hatred of a father.

"Ah yes, that would be fine if I wasn't ordered to bring Michael home at all costs." Michael looked down at the mention of order, knowing that he had to go back now, or else this situation would end horribly.

"I see no reason other than the fact that his father is worried about his reputation with the rest of the demon world. If our master has any honor left in him he would leave his son be!"

Michael looked down, "He has to do this. If he was ordered, he can't disobey it."

"Fine, give up!" Talya turned and started to walk towards the other side of the boat.

Michael continues to look down as Andrew walks over to me. "I'm sorry, it would just end badly if I didn't go with him now."

"I know," she said her eyes turning orange again.

Andrew notices and glares at her slightly, gripping Michael's arm tightly, "My Lord, you have to go now."

"Sorry," he said quietly as Andrew disappeared with him. Talya sits down on the deck looking down at the water and sighs.

Back at the estate, Andrew and Michael appear in Michael's room, next to the bed. Andrew attaches a chain to Michael's wrist, so that he was chained to the wall next to the bed. Andrew makes sure it is secure and walks out of the room, locking the door behind him. After Andrew left the room, Michael walked over to the window and leans against the wall, looking down quietly.


	3. Captured

Talya sat at the back of the boat, hugging her knees close to her chest. _What is going to happen to Michael now? I should've fought to keep him away from there. I shouldn't have let him go back._ Talya stood up quickly, her mind set. In a few quick strides, she leapt off the boat and onto the bank, running back to the estate as fast as she could. When she got there she walked straight up to the front door. _This is crazy, I'll kill myself, _she thought as she knocked on the door.

Michael straightened quickly, a hand pressed against the window, watching Talya. A few moments later Andrew opens the door. "Yes?"

"I wish to speak to the master of the house."

"Why is that?"

"Why I wish to speak to the master of the house concerns only him," Talya responded in the nicest way possible. Andrew studied her for a few seconds before he stepped aside to let her in.

_Don't do it, _Michael though as Talya walked past Andrew into the mansion. Andrew shut the door behind her quietly and began to walk down the hallway.

_I basically just killed myself, lovely,_ Talya thought as she followed Andrew, trying to settle her nerves and remain calm.

A short distance down the hallway, Andrew stops in front of a door and opens it for Talya, "Here you go. The Earl is in here."

Talya walked into the room quietly and looked around finding the Earl, Ciel Phantomhive, sitting at the cluttered desk, working on paperwork quietly. Talya stepped forward slightly, "Sir, I have a few questions for you."

Ciel looked up, disinterested, "What are your questions?"

"Why do you treat your son like a slave, especially when he is your only son and the heir to everything you are?"

Ciel's eyes narrow slightly, "What I do with my son is my business alone."

"Yeah, it is, but obviously you are failing at it. If you were doing it right he wouldn't be running from you. He wouldn't hate being around you or be scared to death because you said something." Talya locked eyes with the Earl. "And honestly I have no right to tell you this but someone has to and everyone who gets close enough to you runs the other way."

"And you think that I care that no one is around me? My son stays here often enough that I only have to send Andrew to find him and bring him back rarely."

"The reason he stays is because he's scared of you and when he doesn't do everything you say, you beat him up."

Ciel's eyes narrow more at the comment, "That is fine by me as long as he stays here."

"So his life can shrivel away like your wife did?" Talya said, knowing that she was hitting buttons.

Ciel's eyes narrow into a fierce glare, "Do not bring my wife's life up."

"I brought it up because you need to hear it."

"Why would I need to hear about my wife again?"

"Because you are acting like a pathetic kid, taking his anger and guilt out on someone else who doesn't deserve it."

"I would appreciate it if you left now."

"Not until I get to see Michael. I want to make sure he is alright."

"He's probably by his window, you can see him there. You are not allowed to enter his room."

"Scared someone might show him an ounce of kindness? As I said, I don't care what you think."

"That is not it. No one is allowed in his room except for him, Andrew, Sebastion, and myself."

"Fine sir, if that is what you wish," Talya turned and walked briskly out of the mansion, and walks up to Michael's window and levitates up and onto the balcony, walking over to the window. Michael jumps slightly at her sudden arrival and looks down. Talya slips into the room and stands next to him, "You okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Liar," Talya said as she notices the chain and snaps her fingers, the chain disintegrating.

"I am, that was just a precaution to keep me here."

"As I told your father, I don't really care about the rules."

"I can tell, seeing as how you are in my room."

Talya sits down in a chair next to the window, "Well he told me not to, plus I'm doing no harm." Michael nods and leans against the wall, only to straighten at the sound of someone unlocking the door. Talya quickly slips out of the room, onto the balcony, out of sight, letting the chain reconfigure itself. Michael relaxes slightly, pretending not to care, and looks out the window.

Ciel entered the room, arms folded, "Michael. Why did you leave this time?"

"The same reason as always. I wanted to see something other than the gardens and the grounds of the estate. It gets boring seeing the same thing every day, not being able to see anything else."

Ciel backhands him, "At least you are alive, and I've told you before outside of the estate is dangerous." Talya winces at the sound.

Michael looks down, holding his hand gently to his reddening cheek, "I'm sorry father. I forgot your warning."

"Don't forget it again," Ciel said, leaving the room, locking it behind him. Michael continues to look down quietly, pressing his hand against his cheek.

Outside the room, a tear rolled down Talya's cheek. _I should've left him alone._ She jumped off of the balcony, and looks up at the window one last time, before she ran off, exiting the estate's grounds. A few feet out of the estate's grounds she skids to a stop in front of Andrew and another man, who she hadn't met yet. The man was tall, with black hair and blood-red eyes. He was also wearing a simple black butler's outfit. "Look you master won, what else does he want?"

"The Earl wants to make sure that you don't come back, while he is alive," Andrew said.

"If he wants to keep hurting his son, let him, but don't take everything that makes him smile away or he will die like his mother." Andrew nods and the two men start to walk away. "So you're just going to let it happen? You're going to let the last two of that clan slowly wither away? And to think they used to be the strongest," she said, chuckling lightly at her last comment.

"Michael is strong, and Ciel is getting weaker and won't last much longer."

"Michael is slowly losing all hope left in him. He won't last that long and you know that. If he does last longer than his father, he won't know what to do other than what he has been forced to do all his life."

"Then someone will have to teach him."

"Who? He hates all of you."

"Ciel only said that you couldn't come back while he was alive."

"Can you tell Michael that?" Andrew nods quietly and the men walk away silently. Talya walks back down the mountain. She gets back to her home and sits looking at the Phantomhive Estate in the distance. Talya sighs, _I hope he will be okay._ Talya curls up next to her window, staying up the rest of the night, just looking out at the river.


	4. Wrong

**Author's Note: First off, thank you all so much for the reviews, this is the first story to get any review. When I got my first review, it made my day. I am happy that my story interests you. Second, sorry for the long wait between chapter 3 and 4. I had a lot of homework to do and I went home for the weekend and in the process, forgot to write the chapter…*bows* forgive me. Anyways, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and I'll try to update faster this time. **

The next morning, Andrew walks down the hall of the Phantomhive Estate, carrying a covered tray of food. He reaches Michael's door and pulls a small silver key, attached to a chain, and unlocks the door quietly. He walks in and sets the tray on a small table in the corner of the room, and proceeds to open the curtains on the window, letting the sunlight, flow into the room. When he finishes, he walks over to the wardrobe in another corner of the room and opens it, pulling out a set of clothes for today and sets them on the chest at the end of Michael's bed.

Michael stirs slightly, pulling his pillow over his head as Andrew opens the curtains around his bed. "My Lord, it is time for you to wake up," Andrew said as he finished opening the curtains.

"Five more minutes," he mumbled, half asleep and pillow still over his head.

"Your father wants you up," Andrew said, pulling Michael's comforter and sheets off of him.

Michael reaches for his comforter, when he can't find them he peeks out from under his pillow, glaring lightly. He sighs, and sits up on the edge of the bed, tossing his pillow and Andrew in the process. "Fine, you win."

Andrew smiles faintly and sets the clothes from the chest on the bed next to Michael and began to unbutton Michael's nightshirt.

Talya stood up and changes into clean clothes and walks out of her house and starts to walk up the mountain quietly. She walks past the garden of the Phantomhive Estate and keeps walking up the mountain. As she's walking she hears music playing from farther up the mountain. As she walks, she pauses for a few seconds, looking back at the top of the mansion, before turning back to the path and walks to the abandoned temple palace.

Talya leans against the wall of the temple in the shade, an old family crest in her hands. She sat there, staring at the crest, turning it over a few times. She sighs and stands up, "Let's go see Michael."

When Andrew finishes getting Michael dressed, Michael walks over to the window and leans against the wall next to the window, looking out at the garden, his hands in his pockets. Andrew walks out of the room, locking the door behind him quietly; returning a few minutes later, walking in with a tray of food. Michael looks over at the door for a second, before turning away quietly, looking back out at the garden.

"My Lord, you need to eat," Andrew said as he set the tray on the small table in the corner of Michael's room and leaves, locking the door behind him. Talya walks down the mountain and into the estate's garden's side entrance, and walks in and settles right below Michael's window, listening quietly. Michael ignores Andrew and opens the window, walking out onto the balcony quietly.

Talya tosses a stone up and it lands on the ledge of the balcony, next to his hands. Michael looks down, confused, as Talya levitates up and sits down on the ledge of the balcony, "Don't you look like a ray of sunshine?"

Michael smiles weakly, "You're funny."

"You should eat," she said pointing to the tray.

"I'm not hungry."

"Uh-huh, sure; you shouldn't lie you know."

"I'm not lying, I'm seriously not hungry."

"If you say so; I'm sorry that I got you in trouble."

"It's alright, it was my fault really."

"No, I'm the one who convinced you to go and confronted your dad." Michael looks down slightly. "You know they told me not to come back."

Michael looks up, "They did?"

"Yeah but they don't scare me. They're just more demons who are doing what somebody tells them to. What's to be scared of?"

"What they can do."

"I'm not as weak as you might think," she said smiling. "I can handle myself if they catch me.

Michael nods slightly, "Unfortunately for me, my father keeps me at a point where I'm too weak to use my demon side much."

Talya looks down, swinging her legs slightly, "You're the only one who really knows what I am, you know."

"You're the only person who knows that I'm alive to begin with."

"Well, maybe one day you won't have to hide in these walls."

"I doubt it," he said, leaning against the ledge.

"He can't live forever, can he?"

"I'm starting to believe that he can; he's already been alive a few hundred years, and Sebastion and Andrew have been alive for even longer."

"He seemed weak to me when I was talking to him," she said as Michael looked down slightly. "Just don't wither and die on me."

"I'll try not to," Michael said as he smiled weakly.

"No, you will," she said, smiling. "Well I think your watch demons can sense I'm here, so I'm going to run out for a little while." She smiled and disappeared.

Michael looked out at the garden quietly, not noticing Sebastion walk into the room, holding a small syringe of morphine. Sebastion walks up behind him, and sticks the syringe into his arm, emptying its contents into his bloodstream. The morphine caused Michael to pass out immediately, Sebastion catching him gently, "I'm sorry My Lord." Sebastion unchains Michael and walks out of the room carrying Michael out with him.

Talya walks back into the town and looks back up at the estate, sighing. When she gets back to her room she sits down and reads. A few minutes later, she looks out of her window at the estate, sensing that something is wrong but doesn't act on it, and looks back down at her book, reading.


	5. Rescue Mission

Sebastion carries Michael down the hallway, stopping next to a light fixture. Sebastion pulls on the light fixture, revealing a hidden door and walks in quietly. He walks down the hidden hallway into a room of cells and sets Michael in the cell and chains his wrists to the wall, shutting the cell door and locking it, before walking out of the room quietly. Michael lays on the ground of the cell, passed out, as Sebastion walks out of the hidden room and down the hallway.

Talya runs back to the estate, realizing she left her family crest in Michael's room. She runs into Michael's room but doesn't see her crest anywhere. She looks around and notices that Michael isn't in the room, "Where did he go?" She sits down in the middle of the floor for a while before getting up and opening the door to the hallway, sneaking out, trying to figure out where Michael is. She walks down the hallway and stops to the side of Ciel's study; making sure the door isn't open before sprinting past it.

She continues down the hall, noticing that a light fixture was tilted slightly and the wall had a small opening. She pushes it open and slips inside quietly walking towards the hidden room. When she reaches the room and sees all the cells and notices Andrew sitting in the corner of the room. _I should have looked before I came in._ Andrew looks at her quietly before looking away. I slowly start to wake up, sitting up on the floor of the cell, holding my head lightly.

Talya walks down the rows of cells, looking in each, to see if I was there. Michael stood up quietly and walk towards the edge of the cell, trying to see who was coming. Talya walks into Michael's range of view, and he walks up to the bars of the cell. Talya notices him and walks over as he smiles weakly. "Why?...," she said, sighing and looking down. "You're in a cage."

Michael nods slightly, looking down, "I am." Talya snaps her fingers and the bars of the cell disappear. He looks up at the disappearance of the bars, and moves his hands across the space where the bars were, making sure they were really gone. Talya notices the chains and snaps her fingers, the chains dissolving into sand and she walks out of the hidden room, coming face to face with Ciel. Michael starts to walk after her slowly, stopping in his tracks as he sees Ciel, looking down immediately.

Talya looks Ciel in the eyes. Ciel glares, "You again?"

"I told you, I don't care what you say."

"Obviously," he said, walking past her to Michael, grabbing him by his neck, pulling him down the hallway. Talya grabs Ciel's arm, squeezing tight enough to hear his bone crack. Ciel looks back at her.

"Let him go."

"What I do with my son is my business; I believe I've told you this."

"It may not be mine, but it is the business of the council."

"This doesn't concern them."

"It does if you're dieing and basically killing your son because then your clan won't be around anymore; and that is the council's concern."

Ciel glares at her as Michael looks up at Ciel, "Y-you're dieing?" Ciel tightens the grip on Michael's neck and he winces slightly.

"They've already been talking about it and they have embassaries coming by in a week. I know you don't want to admit it but you know it's been coming for years now," she said, releasing his arm.

"I suggest you leave now."

"I'm just a messenger; if I were you I'd hope your heir wasn't in such a bad shape when they get her, because they will have a skills test for him."

"Leave now!" Ciel said as he pulled Michael down the hallway.

Talya looks at Michael worried before she disappears and reappears at a giant palace. She sighs and walks in; heading towards the council room. She walks in and tells the council what she saw and heard. The council members nod and three of them and their guards leave; heading towards the mansion.

Twenty minutes later, Michael is lying in his bed: his chest, left elbow, right hand, neck and right leg are bandaged with small Band-Aids in various other places, chained to the wall. As he is lying in his bed, someone knocks at the door. Michael looks over, confused. "Wh-who is it?"

Three council members open the door and walk in quietly. Michael sits up quickly, wincing as he holds his chest. They walk over to his bed and start to unchain him. "Come on, we will be taking you away from here."

"B-but I'm not allowed to leave."

"Your father can't stop us he has no right to." One of the guards picks him up. Michael looks at his father and then at the council member. He opens his mouth to say something, but changes his mind and looks down. "You will see your father again; but after you get healed and stronger." The council's guards take him away; back to the council's palace, while the council members talk with Ciel.

The guards set Michael down in a bed in an empty room and start to heal him. Michael looks down quietly. _This is weird, what do I do?..._


	6. Revealed

The guards finished healing Michael and left the room quietly. For the first time in a long while, Michael felt that he could use his powers, one in particular, and that he had enough energy to actually do things. He looks around the room quietly; the room is bright - illuminated by the sun from the five open, bay windows – there is a glass of water on a table a few feet away from the bed. Michael stands up quietly and walks over to the middle bay window and looks out at the grounds. Noticing Talya lying in the grass just looking up at the sky - her headphones on, music blasting loud, as she closes her eyes - Michael smiles faintly and leans against the wall next to the window.

Talya plays with a small electric ball in her hands. Other people are walking around the grounds, most of them are young adults or kids. Michael looks out at all of the people and his faint smile grows slightly. Talya stands up and walks inside the building and walks up the stairs to Michael's room and knocks on his door. Michael walks over to the door quietly and opens it, revealing Talya. "Hey," Talya said, smiling.

"Hello."

"How are you?"

"Better than I have been."

"The doctor told me all the injuries that you had," she said as Michael looked down. "You don't have to look down."

"Sorry, I'm not completely used to this yet."

"You'll get used to it, I promise. I did."

"I'm sure I will."

"Just remember, you can go almost everywhere now. You have no boundaries," she said, smiling as she walked away.

_Right, I can leave my room now…_, Michael stood in his doorway for a while.

A teenaged boy, with blonde hair and blue eyes walked past and looked at Michael, "You must be the new kid." Michael looked down slightly and nodded. "So know anybody or do you need a helping hand to show you around?"

Michael looks up slightly, "Uhm, I know one person – but she left."

"Who was it?" he said, looking at Michael curiously.

"Talya."

"Ah, yeah, she's very difficult to hold in one place."

"I figured that out…"

"She also came from a hard background." Michael nodded quietly, looking down slightly. "A lot like yours, I think. Well want someone to show you around?"

"Sure…" The boy leads Michael around the building, explaining everything about the people and the rooms. Michael nods quietly, following him.

"You don't talk much."

"Sorry, I never really got the chance to talk to people growing up…," he said as he looked down.

"Aw, another abused one. I'm sorry to hear that."

Talya runs up behind them and smiles, "Hey you guys."

Michael looks back at her and smiles faintly, "Hello."

"I see you're making friends."

Michael nods slightly, "I guess."

"Well, there is a sparring match between two of the top guys in the lower field and I was asked to be there in case they go too far," she said smiling as she runs off again.

Michael nods, watching her leave. He turns to the guy standing next to him, "So uhm, we never introduced each other…"

"True we didn't. I'm Kyle," he said, holding out his hand.

Michael takes his hand, "Michael Phantomhive."

"Ah, the ghost; nice to finally meet you," Kyle said as he smiled.

Michael looks down at the mention of ghost, "Yeah…"

"So what do you like to do?"

"Read and play my violin."

"You play the violin, nice."

"I do."

Kyle looks down the hall, "Well there isn't any more building but there is the forty acres with training fields, gardens, giant lake and stuff like that."

Michael looks up, "A lake?"

"Yeah, you can fish, swim, boat, anything really." Michael smiles slightly. "And tanning, you look like you could use one."

"Uhm, yeah, I wasn't allowed out of my room often."

"Aw, that sucks. Well most kids here were almost killed by parents. Talya was left to die in a river and then when she was older, they tried to assassinate her. I was almost fed to a shark."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Eh, its fine, I lived." Michael looks down and nods quietly. Kyle stops and looks around outside, "Beautiful, ain't it?"

Michael looks around and nods, "It is…"

Kyle smiles, "Well you should go look around for yourself a little while."

Michael nods and smiles politely, "Thank you for showing me around."

"I'll do it again if you forget."

"I'll remember that…," Michael said smiling slightly. Kyle nods and walks away, as Michael sighs slightly and walks around the grounds randomly. He walks down a path and ends up at a garden. He places his hands in his pockets and walks around the garden.

Talya looks around wondering where Michael is and stands up, and starts to walk around looking for him. She notices him in the garden and walks over, as he stops in front of some flowers and zones out. Talya walks over to him and taps his shoulder. "Hello," he said as he turned around.

"You were fading out on me."

"Sorry."

"It's okay, I was just making sure you were alright."

"I'm alright. It's just weird being able to go outside whenever I want."

"Oh, true, I guess that might be hard to get used to."

"It is, I keep feeling like Andrew or Sebastion are going to come after me."

"They can't. The council has say over any bond. It's always been like that.

Michael nods, "It's still weird."

"It'll take getting used to, but I think you will get used to it."

"I hope so, it's nice being outside in the daytime."

Talya's eyes widen in feigned fear, "Oh no! You might get a tan!" She laughed a little.

"Then maybe I won't look like a ghost."

"That would probably be a good thing. I hope you aren't mad that I told them."

Michael looks at her, "Told who what?"

"The council about your father."

"Oh, it's fine." Talya looks down and away. "What's wrong?" Michael said, tilting his head to the side slightly, looking at her concerned.

"Nothing."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," she said, nodding still looking in a different direction. Michael nods, not completely believing her, yet not wanting to press it any further. Talya sat down in the grass, looking at the garden, as Michael continued to look around the garden. "Have you seen the lake yet?"

"Not yet, I got distracted by the gardens," he said shaking his head.

"Not like the ones where you were, huh?"

"They're so much bigger."

"And there're so many more types of plants. There is a cactus garden; which is very difficult to walk around in," she said, causing Michael to release a soft laugh and Talya joined him. "There was also a rose garden, but it got set on fire."

"Set on fire?"

"Uhm, a kid was practicing his abilities and missed the target. It was kind of funny, he didn't say anything but sorry for a month."

"I would too." Talya stood up and started to walk in the direction of the used-to-be rose garden, gesturing for Michael to follow her. Michael did so and a few minutes later they arrived at a garden area with burnt vines, stems, and roses. A few vines were growing again, they were small but alive and Michael looks around quietly for about three seconds before walking up to a burnt rose bush and kneels down in front of it.

"No one's messed with it since it was burnt. No one knows what to do." Michael quietly cupped one of his hands around a burnt rose, closing his eyes gently, as the rose glows gently and grows into a large blood-red rose. Michael opens his eyes – now a faint blood-red - and smiles. Talya stared at the rose and smiled. "Wow, that's…"

"I haven't been able to do that in forever," Michael said as he smiled weakly.

"Who knows, you might even get better."

"Maybe I will. I used to be able to make a whole bush grow at once."

"Give it a few weeks it might surprise you. You're stronger than I am. I think you'll recover faster than I did."

"I'm not that strong…," Michael said, looking down.

"Well you can't know that. You've never been able to reach your potential."

Michael cupped his hand around another rose, "I guess."

Talya looks at the rose as it glows and grows. She walks over to him, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. "You shouldn't push yourself." Michael nods quietly. "They are beautiful."

"Thank you, you know the flowers at the estate?"

"I remember."

"I grew those when I was six years old."

"You did?"

"Andrew and Finny kept them alive for me, and on my night time visits I was allowed to make, I would go through and help a little."

"Well, I hope you can keep these ones alive."

"So do I." Talya walks over to one of the re-grown roses and smiles. Michael tries to stand up, but his knees go weak and he falls to the ground quickly.


End file.
